Roger was a student at Cedaredge High School, south of Cedaredge, Colorado on Highway 65, on February 10, 1981. He rode the bus to school as usual that day and the boy who shared his locker saw him place his books inside it at 8:30 a.m. Roger did not attend classes that day and has not been heard from again. His mother told investigators her son carried only an orange or yellow backpack full of school books and his wallet, with his driver's license and three dollars in cash, when he was last seen. He left behind all his clothing, his car, his motorcycle, his skis, and money in his bank account.

Authorities suspect foul play was involved in Roger's disappearance; they believe he was killed shortly after he vanished, probably by someone he knew. He was a popular straight-A student, and he had already been accepted at Western State College in Gunnison, Colorado and had selected a dormitory room. He was also an avid skier who was looking forward to an upcoming ski race scheduled for the weekend after he vanished. His family reported he had been acting oddly in the month prior to his disappearance and appeared to be preoccupied, but he has no history of runaway behavior and his parents never believed he ran away from home.

One of Roger's teachers, John Pash, is considered a person of interest in his disappearance. He taught social studies and coached wrestling at Cedaredge High School. After Roger's disappearance, Pash went to Roger's mother and told her son had a lot of personal problems and was suicidal. None of Roger's loved ones believe this; his coach said he was in good spirits before he disappeared and would never have taken his own life. Roger did visit Pash's home on a regular basis to turn in his homework. It was right next to Cedaredge High School. In 1994, a former classmate of Roger's said his body might be buried at the house where Pash lived in 1981. Pash had sold it in 1984 and moved away. Authorities searched the house with ground-penetrating radar and saw some anomalies, including two under the concrete garage floor, but they decided not to dig.

Roger's case remains unsolved. Both of his parents are now deceased.

Investigating Agency
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Delta County Sheriff's Office
970-874-9734